All posts tagged recalls

Volkswagen is recalling certain Jetta, Rabbit and New Beetle models with 2.5-liter engines to correct possible flaws that could cause fuel leaks and fires.

The recall includes 2006-2010 Jetta and Rabbit models, and 2009 Jetta SportWagens. The vehicles may have a small plastic tab on the reservoirs for their windshield washer fluid. In some cases the tab can rub against a fuel line. The 2006-2010 Beetle hardtop and convertible have a similar problem with a hose clamp on the power steering system that can chafe against a fuel line.

Hyundai is recalling certain 2011 model-year Santa Fe sport-utility vehicles to correct a potential flaw in their rear brakes. The Korean car maker’s Kia unit is recalling some Sorento SUVs for a similar problem. The two vehicles are built on the same basic platform and have many parts in common.

In both vehicles, the rear brake calipers may not have been machined properly and could allow brake fluid to leak. The loss of fluid would trigger a warning light indicating the fluid level is low. If the driver doesn’t take corrective action, the symptoms could worsen to include spongy-feeling brakes and an eventual loss of braking power.

Makers of recreational vehicles and travel trailers have announced several recalls to replace wheels on certain 2011 models that could be defective. In some cases due to improper assembly the wheels could break and increase the chance of a crash, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Keystone RV Co. says it is recalling about 2,330 of its 2011 Cougar, Energy, Hornet.Laredo, Outback, Springdale and Sprinter travel trailers because of potential problems with the quality of welds holding the wheels together.

Toyota Motor Corp. says it is running a “limited service campaign,” or LSC, to address problems with the cooling systems in certain Prius hybrids that could result in the cars overheating and losing power. The program affects about 378,000 Prius models in the North America.

The repair program, which the company says is not a recall, includes vehicles from the 2004 through 2007 model years. Car makers often use this type of service campaign to correct problems they don’t regard as safety risks. They work in a way similar to recalls but aren’t filed with federal regulators and don’t pop up on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.

We live in an age of automotive recalls, or at least of heightened awareness of them. Publicity around Toyota’s recalls covering more than 11 million vehicles in the past year, plus big recalls by many other auto makers, have done a lot make consumers more aware of why vehicles may be recalled and how the repair process works.

But are we getting too casual regarding recalls? Last week the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warned that as many as half of the roughly 17.5 million Ford vehicles recalled since 1999 for defective cruise-control disconnect switches were never repaired.

Toyota Motor Corp. says it will recall about 740,000 vehicles to fix possible leaks in their braking systems. The company made a similar announcement in Japan affecting more than 500,000 additional vehicles. The recalls come as Toyota is struggling to rebuild its image as a safe, reliable brand.

Toyota has recalled more than 11 million vehicles in the past year to address problems ranging from sticky throttle-pedal assemblies and floor mats than can trap pedals to problems with steering and stalling engines.

Are we worrying too much about unintended acceleration, safety recalls and drivers talking on phones? Some safety experts think so.

Such traffic problems like the recent wave of recalls and the many forms of driver distraction get a lot of attention from news organizations and politicians, but they wind up siphoning resources away from road hazards that matter even more, like excessive speed and failure to use seat belts and motorcycle helmets.